title: Risk factors associated with slide positivity among febrile patients in a conflict zone of north-eastern Myanmar along the China-Myanmar border.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria within the Greater Mekong sub-region is extremely heterogeneous. While China and Thailand have been relatively successful in controlling malaria, Myanmar continues to see high prevalence. Coupled with the recent emergence of artemisinin-resistant malaria along the Thai-Myanmar border, this makes Myanmar an important focus of malaria within the overall region. However, accurate epidemiological data from Myanmar have been lacking, in part because of ongoing and emerging conflicts between the government and various ethnic groups. Here the results are reported from a risk analysis of malaria slide positivity in a conflict zone along the China-Myanmar border.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveys were conducted in 13 clinics and hospitals around Laiza City, Myanmar between April 2011 and October 2012. Demographic, occupational and educational information, as well as malaria infection history, were collected. Logistic models were used to assess risk factors for slide positivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age patterns in Plasmodium vivax infections were younger than those with Plasmodium falciparum. Furthermore, males were more likely than females to have falciparum infections. Patients who reported having been infected with malaria during the previous year were much more likely to have a current vivax infection. During the second year of the study, falciparum infections among soldiers increased signficiantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results fill some knowledge gaps with regard to risk factors associated with malaria slide positivity in this conflict region of north-eastern Myanmar. Since epidemiological studies in this region have been rare or non-existent, studies such as the current are crucial for understanding the dynamic nature of malaria in this extremely heterogeneous epidemiological landscape.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Disease, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. luc2@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Zhaoqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Guofa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guoping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Ming-chieh
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Guiyun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Liwang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult